The developer that gave us Daikatana, the Ishtar of PC games, makes up for that atrocity with this fine sci-fi role-playing game. Unlike most PC RPGs, Anachronox features extremely user-friendly gameplay, mostly due to its console influence--the developers readily admit that they borrowed heavily from games such as Final Fantasy VII. The game follows the adventures of Sylvester "Sly" Boots, a down-on-his-luck detective trying to repay a hefty debt. Taking a simple assignment as a bodyguard, Sly finds himself caught up in much larger events, and the fate of the universe is placed in his unlikely hands. Gameplay consists entirely of two elements: point-and-click adventure and turn-based combat. The early part especially requires you to click on every object and person you encounter. Battles are classic turn-based encounters, with combatants lined up on two sides taking turns attacking. Unfortunately, these elements are far from balanced. The first half of the game gets a little monotonous with an overabundance of pointing and clicking, while the second half contains too many battles. The former problem is exacerbated by uneven storytelling. Although the dialogue and characterizations are great, the early part really drags. The writers tried to mimic the pacing of FFVII's story, but weren't nearly as successful. While the cutscenes are very impressive, the in-game graphics are quite blocky, and you can tell that the game was based on the old Quake II game engine. Despite these technical and aesthetic flaws, Anachronox remains a charming game. Its blend of sci-fi and humor gives it a tone akin to an edgier Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. This, combined with its console-like gameplay, makes it appealing to a much broader audience than your typical PC RPG. --Raymond M. Padilla Pros: Excellent dialogue and story Strong characters Simpler gameplay than most PC RPGs Cons: Blocky graphics Dreadful pacing Unbalanced gameplay